Ladder



A. N. CLOUGH LADDER Filed Nlamcl:7 2 8. 1923 FIGURE Z FIGURE 5 .l2

FIGURE 6 R O M E Q 11j V 9 N In 2l Il w i l, m i L F E A www x 7l MH I .Ffulvrn EIN aw f ,/J H Q 7 E R w 4 n E R U F BY ATTORNEY Patented .inne 9, 1925.

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Application mealnarch se, 192e. serial no. esami.

4To all "Lo/lont z5 mtr-gy concern.' l

Be it lrnownthat I, Anrnnn CLQUGH,

a citizen of the United States, and a vresident of ,San dose7 inthe county of Santa Clara 5 and State ot California, have invented certain vneiv and use'ifulimprovements in Ladders, oiV which the following is a speciiication. l

It is one object ot my invention yto pifvide a ladder construction in which the step 'is securely clamped to the leg in such a manner to be immovable With Frelation thereto.

it is another object oit my invention to provide a clamp for the purpose indicated that is so tormed as to provide rigid support ttor the step Without the use of bolts, Webs or brackets.

it is still another object of my invention to provide a clamp or support of the nature indicated that may be made of sheet metal and so foi-ined and moulded around the step and leg of the ladder as to grasp these parts snugly and securely.

It is still a iurther object of the invention to provide a sheet metal support of the character indicated that is provided With teeth or prongs so arranged as to enter the step and leg material in the process of mounting the support thereon thereby efiectually joining the step and leg Without the applicatio-n or use of separate elements.

Finally it is an object ot my invention to provide a device of the character indicated that Will be simple in form, economical to manufacture quickly and easily appliedj strong and durable, and highly eiicient in its practical application.

ln the drawing Figure l is a plan viewY oi' a blank ready to be bent into forni and having prongs formed thereon and raised into position.

Figure 2 is an end view of the blank shown in Figure l.

Figure 3 is a plan view oit the device partly formed and in position to be Wrapped around a step and leg ot a ladder.

Figure t is a sectional view on line 4 4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a. plan view ot the device partly Wrapped around a step and leg of a ladder.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the device in use.

Figure 7 is a view on line 7 7 of Figure 6.

Figure8is view on line 8 8 oi' Figure (i.

Referring more particularly to the Vdraiving, I show a plate of sheet instal, the body portion l ot which is oblong in shape and has teeth formed on the ends thereof jas at 25 these teeth being bent at yright angles nto thev plate as shovvn. For the purpose ot explanation the body portion l is divided into central :portion A, side portions B and `end 'portions C Sfpaced baclr a r distance vtrom teeth Q prongs 3 are punched out ot the metal as shown and extend in `aline parallel 'to teeth 2. The portion A also has prongs punched out of it on the same side of the metal as teeth 2 and prongs 3 as shown at 4.

From one side ot body portion l and having a base line 5 of substantially the same Width as portion A of body portion l extends a central ear 6 having prongs formed therein as at 7.

At 8 8 are a pair of ears, one on either side of ear 6, and joined to the edge of side portions B B of body portion i. Each of these ears 8 8 is of substantially the same length as ear 6 and terminates in a set of teeth 9 bent at right angles to its surface in the same manner as teeth 2. These ears 8 8 are also provided with prongs l0 as shown.

In applying this device to the construction of ladders the ear 6 is first bentv at right angles to the body portion 1 and in a direction opposite to the several sets ot teeth and prongs. At the same time arecess as ll is formed in the metal at the point ot junction ot ear 6 and body portion l, the 'toi-ming ot this recess raising a boss on the under side ot the plate in the angle between the two parts 6 and l. This boss being formed in the angle itself and of the metal of Which the support is made effectually prevents inoveinent of one part relative to the other and consequently prevents the support from craclring along this line of junction under repeated applications and removal oit Weights from step l2.

The support being positioned as described, and prongs 4 and 7 driven into the Wood (the former into the bottom of the step and the latter intok the inner side ot the leg 13) the parts B are bent upwardly at right angles to part A as shown in Figure 5, and then the parts C are bent downwardly so that the teeth Q and prongs 3 enter the i mi top of step 12 and ears 8 8 are bent in- Wardly so that the teeth 9 and prongs 10 enter the outer side of leg 13.

This construction is such that one portion of the clamp almost emcompasses step 12 and is immovably secured to it and another portion almost emcompasses leg 13 and is immovably secured to it. rlhe clamp is therefore immovably secured to both step and leg Without the use of bolts or other additional elements and, because of the construction of the clamp itself, the two parts of the clamp are immovable with relation to each other.

It may now be seen that I have provided a clamp or support that may be economically made out of sheet metal and may be quickly arranged in an operative position in such a manner as to (for all practical purposes) become an integral part of the ladder itself. In order to secure the strongest and most rigid construction I prefer to extend ears 8 8 below the level of step 12 as at 14, and also abovel its level as at 15, these ears therefore acting both as hangers and as braces.

It is to be understood of course, that While I have herein Shown and described one specific embodiment of my invention changes in form, construction and method of application and operation may be made Within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A support comprising a sheet metal body portion adapted to be clamped around a step end, an ear adapted to engage the inner side of a ladder leg below the step to be supported, and a pair of ears rising from said body portion and adapted to be clamped around a ladder leg adjacent to said step end, said support having a boss formed therein in the angle formed by said body portion and said lirst mentioned ear.

ALFRED N. CLOUGI-I. 

